Aalto in 2024: Love pictured in the brain, wooden crystals that make fashion shine, recovering minerals from wastewater and more
Natural luxury – Wooden crystals make fashion shine
Biomaterials and 3D-printing conjure a sparkle out of wood without harming people or the environment.
Kudos asks why we fear fungi but not microplastics
The Kudos Pavilion, a so-called “library of material relations”, blurs the boundaries between buildings and living organisms while inviting us to reflect not only on our relationship with materials but also on our values.
Five things everyone should know about AI in the workplace
Generative AI seems to be everywhere these days, but does it really make work easier and businesses more productive? Or will jobs disappear entirely? Although research on AI’s impacts remains limited, one thing is certain: our workplaces are set to change, says Professor Jukka Luoma.
Aalto’s new community-built sauna floats on repurposed wind turbine blades
Made from tough fibreglass, wind turbine blades are notoriously difficult to recycle. Now, Reverlast, a company founded by Aalto University alumni, is transforming them into durable floating structures designed to withstand even harsh marine conditions. The company’s first project is Aalto University’s new community sauna, which will be ready for testing just in time for the holidays.
The butterfly effect – bending and turning artificial muscles with light
In the future, the innovation could be used in for example the development of smart textiles, soft robotics and medicine.
NPHarvest: Recovering minerals from wastewater
Juho Uzkurt Kaljunen founded NPHarvest Oy based on his doctoral thesis with the aim of improving the nutrient cycle by recovering minerals from wastewater. The company’s first round of funding was a success.
Humans have driven the Earth’s freshwater cycle out of its stable state
A new analysis of freshwater resources across the globe shows that human activity has pushed variation in the planet’s freshwater cycle well outside of its pre-industrial range.
Reserching urban greenery as critical infrastructure
Urban greening plays a crucial role in building a climate-resilient, biodiverse and prosperous city. Urban green spaces, streetscapes and courtyards are not just "decoration", but instead critical infrastructure that provides answers to many societal challenges.
Metsähovi Radio Observatory turns 50 and gets new telescopes
Students helped design and build the new telescopes, which expands the opportunities for multidisciplinary space research and education.
Finland's first satellite Aalto-1 space journey ends
The first Finnish satellite, Aalto-1, which has been orbiting Earth for seven years, flew over Finland for the final time in September before burning up in the atmosphere. Built by students and researchers, Aalto-1 marked the beginning of a new space age in Finland, says Professor Jaan Praks, who led the project.
Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brain
Researchers have taken looking for love to a whole new level, revealing that different types of love light up different parts of the brain.
A deep dive into radical creativity – making creative thinking and culture visible through cinema and MOOC
Radical creativity drives innovation and transformation. It is essential for navigating and thriving in a world of complex challenges and uncertainty. That is why Aalto University invites Finnish organisations, communities, influencers, and individuals to harness creativity as a key driver of economic and societal renewal and growth. There are two ways to get involved: first, companies and organisations can host screenings of the Radical Creatives documentary to inspire creativity and experimentation.
Second, the free online course will teach you what radical creativity is and how to apply it in individual, organisational, and leadership contexts. You will discover how to drive deep change—whether in business, the arts, or technology.
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Major grant from the Kone Foundation for modern architecture research - Laura Berger's project equates building loss with biodiversity loss
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AIS Impact Award 2024 goes to Professor Matti Rossi and his team
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